With just over a week to go until the local elections, Iain Duncan Smith is continuing to seek the support of voters.

The Conservative leader was taking his campaign to Shrewsbury on Wednesday amid reports that he is playing a game of expectation management in a bid to secure his leadership.

While in public the Tories are playing down predictions of gains, Duncan Smith has been privately told to expect gains of more than 200 council seats.

Some analysts say Duncan Smith may be set to see as many as 400 gains as opposition to Labour's national policies is expressed locally.

But party strategists are said to fear that Labour may rally at the last minute as a "Baghdad Bounce" takes hold.

"People that generally benefit from these things are the government if there's been a successful outcome, I don't make any bones about that," said Duncan Smith.

The party is also facing a tough fight with the Liberal Democrats - whose local campaigning tactics are legendary.

During a campaign visit to Wales, Duncan Smith dismissed suggestions that next Thursday will be a referendum on his leadership.

"I am not going to be judged on anything other than I'm taking this party into the next general election and I will be judged on the next general election quite rightly," he said.

Though his MPs believe the leader has acquitted himself well during the war, some have stressed that they will be looking for positive signs of a recovery in the council elections.

But a failure to make significant gains - and put the party back on the map in Scotland and Wales - could prompt fresh speculation about the leadership issue.